The question "Who invented ice age?" is a misunderstanding of the term. Ice ages are natural geological periods. However, Louis Agassiz was the first person to hypothesize that the Earth was once subject to an ice age.
Louis Agassiz and the Ice Age Theory
Agassiz's hypothesis, presented in 1837 to the Helvetic Society, was that large parts of the Earth had been covered by glaciers in the past, a concept initially met with skepticism but later supported by geological evidence. He didn't invent the ice age, but he was the first to propose the theory of its existence.
- Key Contribution: Popularized the idea that the Earth had undergone periods of widespread glaciation.
- Impact: His theory revolutionized our understanding of Earth's climate history and geology.
Therefore, it is more accurate to say that Louis Agassiz proposed the theory of the ice age, not that he invented it. Ice ages are natural phenomena.
